Carrier Reagan deployment delayed by electrical problem

San Diego 
Electrical problems have delayed the deployment of the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, which was scheduled to leave its pier at North Island Naval Air Station on Wednesday morning.

Navy spokesman Steve Fiebing said the unexpected difficulties with a generator should postpone the trip only a short while.

“It's a minor issue. They figure they can fix this in a few hours,” Fiebing said. “It's easier to fix pierside than under way.”

Five escort ships did leave Wednesday morning from the San Diego Naval Base at 32nd Street as part of the Reagan strike group. They were the cruiser Chancellorsville; the destroyers Decatur, Gridley and Howard; and the frigate Thach.

Carrier Air Wing 14 also will be aboard the carrier. Altogether, about 7,000 sailors will take part.

The lineup of units is unchanged from the strike group that returned to San Diego in November after a six-month cruise that included duty in the Persian Gulf. For security reasons, the Navy hasn't said whether this tour will include patrols in the gulf.

The 6-year-old carrier is leaving on its fourth deployment in four years. The tempo is unusual for Navy ships, but it reflects the desire of senior leaders to keep vessels at sea for more than the previous standard of a six-month cruise every other year.

“This is a lot different than the way we used to do things,” said Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, a spokesman for the San Diego-based Naval Air Forces command.

The deployment comes just two weeks after Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, visited the Reagan and its crew.

The Nimitz, the second carrier at North Island, also is gearing up for a deployment later this year. A third carrier, the Carl Vinson, is scheduled to join the Reagan and the Nimitz in 2010 at North Island following a major overhaul in Newport News, Va.